


What Friends, Fellow Officers, and the Best Roommates In the World are For

by kribban



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: BFFs, Background Hikaru Sulu/Ben Sulu, Epic Friendship, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Much less sexy than it sounds, Sex for friendship's sake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:28:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26379583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kribban/pseuds/kribban
Summary: ”Can you have sex with me, Hikaru?”For a moment, Hikaru is frozen still and there's a look of absolute terror in his eyes when he finally tears them away from the screen.Pavel kicks his foot. ”Not likethat, Hikaru. I am not in love with you or anything!”
Relationships: Pavel Chekov & Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov/Hikaru Sulu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	What Friends, Fellow Officers, and the Best Roommates In the World are For

As soon as Pavel makes Lieutenant he's getting out of that room.

His quarters aren't tiny, but they're not completely his, either.

There are three other ensigns in that room. Four beds, four dressers, and one bathroom. One toilet and one sonic shower. 

His roommates are nice, of course, but he doesn't know them well, and sometimes the company crowds him so much that he wanders the length of the ship until he's so tired he'll fall asleep the second he lays down.

He shouldn't complain. He's in space. He knows enlisted crew have it worse. But still, he can't wait.

Making Lieutenant doesn't give you your own room but it does reduce the number of roommates to a single one. 

The best one. The very best he could have hoped for.

”Yeah, as soon as I heard Schmidt was transferring off the ship I requested you,” Hikaru extricates himself from Pavel's arms and takes a step back. ”I take it you're cool with the idea?”

”Yes, very cool,” Pavel nods and tries to downplay his excitement. He's acting very immaturely, he knows that. ”Oh, Hikaru we will have so much fun!” 

It is exactly like he has imagined having an older brother, or any sibling for that matter. 

The fact that being an only child means he probably has an unrealistic view of siblings doesn't even cross his mind until years later.

Hikaru's plants are everywhere, but he takes good care of them. He eats disgustingly wholesome food six days of the week and junk food on the seventh. He doesn't drink very much and he has a horrible taste in music.

They play games and watch bad Andorian Westerns, and sometimes they write their reports at the same time; Pavel cross-legged on the floor and Hikaru sprawled out on the couch like a study session back at the Academy. 

They have a lot in common. They're both ambitious and love space. They both like cognac, dogs, and other guys.

”How many men have you been with?” Pavel asks, late one night when the hero has finally shot the villain, his antennae waving victoriously in the breeze.

”Eight,” Sulu answers without looking up. ”I am statistically average for my age group.” 

Eight is a good number. Not inexperienced, but not a sex-fiend, either. Being a sex-fiend isn't very good for a Starfleet career.

Pavel rolls over onto his back to look up at Sulu on the couch. ”I have been with zero men.” 

”I figured,” Sulu says and crams a handful of popcorn into his mouth. He's watching the end credits now and is tapping along with his foot to the overly dramatic music. ”Don't worry about it.”

”I am not statistically average for my age group,” Pavel sighs and hopes he isn't coming off as though he is whining. He had been a minor at the Academy, assigned to a supervisor who kept making surprise visits. Then there'd been the whole... Narada thing and most of his remaining time on Earth had been spent reassuring his father that he would be safe. That, and going to memorial services for his classmates. And now? Now he is far from home, far from a Space station with a club district. Not that he wants to make his sexual debut with someone he meets in a club. 

”Can you have sex with me, Hikaru?”

For a moment, Hikaru is frozen still and there's a look of absolute terror in his eyes when he finally tears them away from the screen.

Pavel kicks his foot. ”Not like _that_ , Hikaru. I am not in love with you or anything!”

The terror dissipates and Hikaru transforms back into his usual self, looking the way he does whenever Pavel suggests something adventurous for dinner. 

”Like what, then?” He continues eating his popcorn as if nothing has happened.

”Like...” Pavel briefly thinks of playing it cool but settles for the truth. ”I am anxious to make my sexual debut, but I am also... anxious. I'm too nervous to do it with someone I don't know, but I don't think I could stand to do it with someone I am in love with, either. Not that either is a likely prospect this far out in space.”

”Why don't you want to do it with someone you're in love with?” Hikaru asks, sounding surprised, and Pavel thinks there's a story there, one he will ask Hikaru about years from now.

”It would depress me greatly, I think, if he breaks my heart. It would feel like he broke off a piece of me and ran away with it.” Pavel has given this particular scenario a lot of thought and it distresses him to even consider it. He sits up a little on the floor and leans back on his elbows. He knows that look. Hikaru is definitely considering it. ”Besides, first-time sex is very bad, yes? I know you will not judge me.”

He smiles and sees the exact moment Hikaru realizes this is a good idea.

Pavel makes his sexual debut in increments.

First, they just take their underwear off and sit across from each other on Hikaru's bed.

They've seen each other naked before, but not up close, and Pavel is pleased that Hikaru's cock is only a little bit bigger than his own.

”Go ahead and touch it. Don't worry about getting me off,” Hikaru says, not at all different from how he usually talks.

Hikaru's cock is very warm and Pavel realigns his mental image of what sex feels like. His own cock doesn't feel warm to the touch, but that must be because it's attached to his body.

The skin is soft. The foreskin is a bit weird, but Hikaru shows him how to retract it, and Pavel spends a few minutes rubbing the spongy flesh of Hikaru's glans. 

Eventually, Hikaru starts instructing him on how he likes it, though he takes over at the end, jerking off in front of Pavel like it's no big deal at all.

It is a big deal. 

Pavel's never seen an orgasm that wasn't on film and he wonders if Hikaru will cry out or grunt or bite his lip stoically, which seem to be the three options.

Hikaru groans loudly, coming in his hand with the practiced ease of someone who's used to not messing up the bedspread.

He uses a baby wipe to clean his hand and asks if Pavel's okay with getting a handjob.

”Very okay,” Pavel says, his cock already hard and straining against his stomach.

”At least in this regard, you're statistically average,” Hikaru says with a grin and scoots closer.

”I know that,” Pavel wants to roll his eyes, but he's too caught up in this moment to do so.

This is it.

This is the first time another pair of hands will wrap around his cock. It's probably going to feel awesome.

It does.

For a few weeks, that's all they do. Hikaru's good at it, and Pavel's getting better every time.

”Remember, every guy is different,” Hikaru says after Pavel has finally made him come. ”You have to ask him how he likes it.”

”Okay,” Pavel says, a little annoyed that Hikaru won't let him bask in the glory of his success. He immediately feels guilty for thinking this. He's the one who asked for lessons, and really, Hikaru is being a very good teacher. He holds his hand out for Hikaru to clean. ”This is very good advice. I will remember it.”

”Good.” Hikaru throws the baby wipe in the wastebasket with a perfect throw and then he stiffens. He sits down next to Pavel and puts his arm around Pavel's shoulders like he's about to impart something very serious. ”And if anyone wants you to do something you're not comfortable with, you don't have to do it.”

Urgh. Pavel wants to squirm out from under Hikaru's arm and punch it. ”I am not a naive child, Hikaru. You don't have to coddle me.”

”I'm not coddling,” Hikaru says seriously, and his arm tightens. ”It's a complicated world out there and you've got to stand up for yourself. Promise me you will.”

There is something dark in his eyes, and Pavel knows nothing bad has ever happened to Hikaru, but for the first time he wonders if something bad came close to happening once, and that's why Hikaru is telling him this. 

Pavel is not being coddled, he's getting an education. 

”You did wash, right? The foreskin, too?” 

”Thoroughly,” Hikaru says and wraps both of Pavel's hands around the base of his cock. ”Now, forget what you've seen in porn. Blowjobs do not equal deep throating. It's totally fine to fit what you can in your mouth and work the rest with your hand.”

The first time Hikaru had given Pavel a blowjob it had been weird. Everything felt so wet and a little ticklish, and Pavel had spent so much time worrying about being bitten that he hadn't even paid attention to what type of blowjob it was.

It had gotten good after a while, once he'd relaxed, and Hikaru had moved away at exactly the last second, but then he'd licked Pavel's come off of his thumb and told him he tasted like all the other guys. 

Pavel nods, holding onto Hikaru's cock like a steering rod. He can do this, he's been worried about gagging so he's glad for the lack of pressure. 

The foreskin has... lessened somehow, he tries not to think about it too much, and he leans in to lick the soft flesh of Hikaru's glans. 

Hikaru's come tastes much like his own, but it's completely different, too. 

They're a month away from their next shore leave, and Hikaru is holding Pavel's ankles. 

It feels weird and when Hikaru starts pressing his knees towards his chest, Pavel's had enough. ”This is not comfortable. My lower back will probably hurt.”

”Yeah?” Hikaru says and lets his legs down. ”My knees will hurt, but I don't care about that.” That it's a sacrifice he's willing to make and that Pavel should be grateful for is implied. 

”You do care, or you wouldn't have told me,” Pavel scoots back to sit against the headboard. So far, everything they've done has been fairly easy, and it irks him that this one thing is proving to be complicated. He sighs in frustration. ”I guess I will just have to stay a virgin forever.”

”Oh please,” Hikaru says with an eye-roll and sits cross-legged at the end of the bed. ”It will be easier when we're naked.”

Pavel hadn't even considered that. He knows he's giving Hikaru a hard time, but he wants to find the perfect position for this, even though the whole point of them doing this is that it doesn't have to be perfect. ”Maybe. Can we take our pants off and try again?”

”Nah, I've to get ready for my shift,” Hikaru says and picks a hair from his uniform pants. ”Lying on your stomach is easiest,” he says again, for what is probably the hundredth time. ”It's a classic for a reason. You'll be able to relax the most that way and trust me, that's something you're going to need.”

”Why? Your dick is fairly small,” Pavel says and catches the pillow Hikaru throws at him.

Even though they haven't decided on a time or date they somehow just know.

After three rounds of the flight sim, the third of which Pavel miraculously won, Hikaru pops the last miniature burger into his mouth. ”Yeah?” He licks his thumb and studies Pavel carefully, his eyes warm and inviting. 

”Yeah,” Pavel nods and takes his clothes off. The next time he puts them on everything will be different.

”Remember,” Hikaru says as they clear customs and wander into the large entrance hall. Even though it's early in the evening it's already bustling with people. ”Throat first.” 

Pavel turns and doesn't roll his eyes. ”Punch to the throat,” he repeats solemnly. ”Knee to the groin and then I run as fast as I can.”

”That's right,” Hikaru nods and his hand lands on Pavel's shoulder. ”You run straight to me and tell me where I can find him.” 

Pavel knows this is all talk. There is no way someone as ambitious as Hikaru would risk a run-in with local authorities if the situation wasn't completely dire, but there's something comforting about it nonetheless. No one's ever stood up for him like this. ”Don't worry, Hikaru,” he says brightly, ”I will always run to you.” 

There is no need for any punching; the guy Pavel picks is shyer than he is. He's very sweet with Pavel and makes him come twice.

The second guy is an enlisted Engineer on the Enterprise and they actually stick together for almost six months.

The third guy break's Pavel's heart.

It's unbearably painful. One day, there's a future. There are trips planned and hourly comm messages. There are dinner dates and sex. The next day, all of that is gone. 

It hurts as though his body hurts, like he has been stabbed and his entrails are hanging out. He doesn't understand how anyone can ever get past this, how there's anything in his future that isn't re-reading Luke's messages on his PADD and crying.

Hikaru brings him food. They play games they have long since tired of and when that doesn't work, Hikaru bundles Pavel up in a blanket and carries him over to his bed.

Ben asks, jokingly, if Hikaru has taken in a stray cat, and they all laugh; Pavel and Hikaru on the Enterprise, and Ben in San Fransisco. It makes Pavel feel the tiniest bit better. 

Pavel had been worried that his and Hikaru's friendship would have to take a backseat, but then he'd met Ben and understood that he accepted Hikaru for what he was. Starfleet was part and parcel of Hikaru, and so was Pavel, and Ben didn't expect Hikaru to give up either.

Six months before that day in the courthouse, two years before they had adopted Demora, Pavel had already known that Ben was the one.

Eventually, and though it almost feels unreal, his time on the Enterprise comes to an end. 

He tearfully promises to keep in touch with Scotty and Doctor McCoy, Spock and Uhura and the Captain, and tells himself he'll never have friendships like these. 

But he does.

Captain Terrell is just as capable as Captain Kirk, but very different, and though it almost feels like he's betraying his ideals, Pavel realizes that starship friendships are situational and temporary.

Facing dangers and living in close quarters makes you close-knit, but without those shared experiences, your friendships eventually fizzle out. As his do.

Except for his and Hikaru's. 

Hikaru, he gets to keep.

Pavel's going to turn thirty soon and he's statistically average for his age group. The guy he's with now feels like a keeper and though he's not in love yet, he's well on his way to getting there.

He's well on his way to another promotion, too. Lieutenant Commander has a nice ring to it, even though there aren't any nicer quarters on the Reliant than the ones he already has.

It has been two years since he's last seen Hikaru and he's a little taken aback by how regal Hikaru looks, with his salt and pepper hair and his perfect posture.

When Hikaru spots Pavel, his face breaks out into a grin, and he waves. 

Ensign Porter gasps. ”Captain Sulu is a friend of yours?” 

”Yes,” Pavel says and beckons Hikaru over to their table. ”My best friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for not actually depicting the cherry-popping. I was going to, but it just didn't fit the story. Imagine it was super-hot, okay?


End file.
